KIA History

KIA History

Kia Motors, headquartered in Seoul, is South Korea's second-largest automobile manufacturer, following the Hyundai Motor Company, with sales of over 1.4 million vehicles in 2010. The company is partly owned by the Hyundai Motor Group and since August 2009 has been led by Hyoung-Keun (Hank) Lee. The word Kia derives from Korean words meaning "to arise to the world from Asia". The word Kia derives from Korean words meaning "to arise to the world from Asia". Kia Motors has specialized in the production of military vehicles with variants and other transportation equipment and by supplying them as a sole maker of military vehicles designated by the South Korean Government since 1976, when Kia Heavy Industry Co., Ltd was established. Kia is currently designing a Kaiser Jeep M715-type vehicle named the KM450 for the South Korean Army on license from the U.S.